Sunday, July 21, 2013

Interested in knowing more about "Recovery" from addiction ???????????

STAGES OF
RECOVERY

The milestones in
recovery from addiction are both similar to and different from the process of
recovering from almost any chronic, life-threatening illness. Each individual
has unique amounts of protective features, risk factors, and resilience for
recovery. Treatment and aftercare ideally combine to improve outcome by
changing a relapse-prone individual into a recovery-prone person.

The needs of every recovering
physician change over time. Without appropriate problem-solving strategies, the
willingness to reach out for help and respond appropriately to feedback, and
the ability to successfully cope with stuck points and stressors, relapse
is likely. A thorough recognition of the stages through which the recovering
physician must pass and ways to overcome stuck points in the journey of
recovery is essential.

Recovery is a process with clearly
defined stages . It requires changes that are perceptible to those around the
recovering physician. It is a long-term process that requires:

·Abstinence from mood-altering substances.

·A conscious decision to take those specific actions that increase the
likelihood for success in recovery (including changes in values, perception and
behaviors).

·Knowledge about the natural history of the illness (87) and its
recovery.

·Knowledge of the skills to begin and continue.

·The ability to identify strengths and weaknesses in their current
recovery program.

·The willingness to accept feedback from others who are skilled at monitoring
continued personal growth.

·The ability not to deny and evade problems, stresses, and behaviors
(when unopposed) frequently lead to relapse.

Although the
recovery time course is unique for each individual, Gorski (88) has defined the
recovery stages as follows:

ØTransition:Starts when the
individual begins to believe they have a problem with alcohol or drugs. It ends
when the individual becomes will to reach out for help.

ØStabilization:The patient
completes the physical withdrawal and p' acute withdrawal. Both physical and
emotional healing begins. The obsession from drug and/or alcohol use subsides.
The physician-patient begins to feel hope and develop motivation for recovery.

ØEarly Recovery:A time of internal
change when the recovering physician begins to let go of painful feelings about
his or her disease (guilt shame, fear, resentment, etc.). The compulsion to use
alcohol and drugs vanishes. The reliance on nonchemical coping skills to
address problems and situations, which previously triggered chemical use,
strengthens.

ØMiddle
Recovery: Balance begins to be restored. The wreckage of the past is cleaned up.
Relationships are developed that positively reinforce learned skills that ensure
continued personal growth.

ØLate
Recovery:Resolution of painful events and
issues related to growing up in a dysfunctional family must occur.

ØMaintenance:The recovering physician begins to practice the principles of successful
recovery in all daily activities.

For further details or queries, please feel free to contact our doctor.

We are organizing Google hangout on15-8-2013
between 10AM to 5PM if you want to ask
some question or having some query. Feel free to contact our Psychiatric Doctor
B. S. Arora.